Before the War
Douglas was born in Bristol on 3rd May 1897 to Herbert Frederick (1868 – 23/04/1944) and Annie Augusta Buchan (nee Gath 1868 – 1956). His parents were married in Gloucestershire in 1891.

On 1901 Census Douglas is living with his parents, brothers Herbert and Kenneth and sister Alice at 5 Osborne Avenue, Bristol. His father is a Wholesale Draper.

On 1911 Census Douglas is living with his parents, brothers Kenneth, Geoffrey, Phillip and Roy and sister Marjorie at 8 Berkley, Avenue, Bishopstoke, Hampshire. His father is employed as a buyer for a Wholesale Drapery.

Douglas sailed to Canada aboard the Cunard ship Utonia which left Southampton on 23rd April 1912. On the ‘outward passenger’ sheet it shows that he intends to reside in Canada and his occupation is a labourer. The ship arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada on 6th May 1912. Douglas declares that his intended occupation in Canada will be as a farm labourer.

Military History
Douglas enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force on 19th July 1916. On his enlistment papers his next of kin is his mother.

When Douglas died he was serving in the 1st Battalion, Western Ontario Regiment of the Canadian Infantry. He was killed in action on 30th August 1918, during an attack on Upton Wood, France.

He was awarded the Victory medal and the British War medal.

He is buried in Upton Wood Cemetery, Hendecourt-Les-Cagnicourt, France. Reference D8. This cemetery is located south east of Arras and was made immediately after the capture of Upton Wood.

Upton Wood is a small wood located between Hendecourt and Haucourt and was captured by 1st Canadian Division on 30th August 1918. Canadian and British troops were involved in the Battle of Scarpe (26th to 30th August 1918) and on the last day, after coming under heavy fire, soldiers from the Canadian Corps captured the wood and also 50 prisoners.